How can I make them understand? How can I explain to my son as he stands before me, asking why, why would I risk so much to bring back one who has caused him nothing but pain and seemed to offer me nothing but destruction. Hercules my golden son, the hero I sent out amongst the mortals doing good in my name whilst his mortal mother slighted you with his. Has he never wondered about his naming 'Hera's Glory', it was a deliberate provocation I should not have allowed and yet only now do I see this. Oh how I have wronged you my Queen.
I took your icy aloofness for unfeeling and I mocked you with all the love showered on me by others. I brought the children their bore me to be raised in your very halls and showered them with affection whilst showing none to my wife. Then when you finally struck out against them, I cursed you and inwardly delighted in your pain at least that proved you felt something for me still even if it was hate. I could not bear to be anything less than the centre of your universe and yet expected you to be content with a minor place in mine.
I try to explain to my son that I need you with me once more but he cannot understand all he has ever seen is the twisted woman I created through my humiliation and neglect.
He cannot know how empty my hall has become, how cold and wide my bed seems. I know my love how you would lay scorn on me for such sentimental musings. The faithless husband who rarely deigned to spend the night there whilst you shared it now lies night after night clutching at the pillow where you rested your head and breathe in the lingering scent of your perfume.
And as I stand here at the edge of Tarterus an anticipation such as I have never felt fills me. Soon you will be here, standing before me, my Queen, my wife, my equal. Will you welcome me back into your sweet arms and bring my head to rest on the warmth of your breast just as you once used to, back when we were young, falling in love and the world was new? Or will you scorn me, reject my pleas as I once did your own, shred my heart with your delicate hands. Either way I do not care, full of hate or full of love you will be mine once more, bound for eternity to stay by my side; I can cope with whatever will come but I cannot cope with your absence a day longer, my Queen, my wife, my love.